Habitat Restoration
Deforestation in Ifotaka is caused by slash & burn farming, charcoal, and timber, driven by chronic poverty, underdevelopment, and El Niño amplified drought.
Through our partnership with the Mandrare River Camp, we have planted over 90,000 octopus trees in 34 villages with 6,099 community members. Octopus trees are an endemic, keystone species to the Spiny Forest and considered Threatened with extinction by the IUCN Red List.
Shrinking Spiny Forest habitat means many tree species are under threat. We buy seeds from forest communities to supply an endemic seed bank and tree nursery.
With the Mandrare River Camp we are regenerating 15 hectares of riverine tamarind forest, an incredibly rare ecosystem existing only within 1 kilometer of the Mandrare River.
